Beloved Downtown L.A. Cheese Shop Closes After 12 Years

DTLA Cheese Superette shutters, but next-door wine bar Kippered remains open

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:39pm

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A high-end, photorealistic studio still-life photograph featuring a selection of premium, polished cheese wedges and wheels arranged elegantly on a clean, monochromatic seamless background, conceptually representing the bittersweet closure of a beloved local business.The closure of DTLA Cheese Superette, a beloved downtown L.A. cheese shop, marks the end of an era for the local food community.Los Angeles Today

After more than 12 years in business, DTLA Cheese Superette, a beloved cheese shop that helped revitalize downtown Los Angeles, is closing its doors this week. The owners, Lydia Clarke and Reed Herrick, cite a 'tidal wave of factors' including the rising cost of goods, utilities, and the ongoing challenges facing small businesses in the area. While their next-door wine bar Kippered will remain open, the closure of DTLA Cheese marks the end of an era for the local cheese community.

Why it matters

DTLA Cheese was an early pioneer in the revitalization of downtown L.A., helping to draw foot traffic and establish the area as a dining and retail destination. Its closure is a reflection of the broader challenges facing small businesses in the city, from high commercial rents and utilities costs to the lingering impacts of the pandemic and social unrest. The loss of this beloved cheese shop is a blow to the local food community and highlights the fragility of small, independent businesses in the face of larger economic forces.

The details

Lydia Clarke and Reed Herrick opened DTLA Cheese in 2013 in Grand Central Market, offering a world-class selection of cheeses from around the world. In 2023, they expanded to a larger location on Broadway, launching DTLA Cheese Superette as a cafe, market, and cheese counter with a next-door wine bar. However, the mounting costs of goods and utilities, combined with the broader economic challenges facing downtown L.A., have proven too much, and the owners have decided to shutter the cheese shop, with Friday being its last day. The wine bar Kippered will remain open.

  • DTLA Cheese opened in 2013 in Grand Central Market.
  • In spring 2023, DTLA Cheese expanded to a new, larger location on the corner of 4th Street and South Broadway.
  • Friday, April 26, 2026 will be the last day of operations for DTLA Cheese Superette.

The players

Lydia Clarke

Co-owner of DTLA Cheese Superette and third-generation dairy purveyor whose family founded Alta Dena Dairy.

Reed Herrick

Co-owner of DTLA Cheese Superette and the chef who created the menu of salads, raclette, and sandwiches featuring the shop's cheeses.

Marnie Clarke

Lydia's sister and a partner in DTLA Cheese Superette.

Kippered

The wine bar next door to DTLA Cheese Superette, which will remain open after the cheese shop's closure.

Emilia D'Albero

A Philadelphia-based cheesemonger who won the 2025 Mondial du Fromage in Tours, France, the first American to do so.

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What they’re saying

“It was a tidal wave of factors that bear down on you. This is a process that has been happening for years. Nobody is spending, there are protests, strikes, war, all of it comes to bear here.”

— Reed Herrick, Co-owner, DTLA Cheese Superette

“We hate the word pivot. It makes it seem like a choice. It wasn't. It was survival. Each thing was, will this allow us to survive another month, another year? The last six months we were getting momentum, then you have one more big bill. … At what point do you say this isn't working?”

— Lydia Clarke, Co-owner, DTLA Cheese Superette

“We love our community. We love being here. We see the same people all the time. Kippered is now a little neighborhood spot, and everybody is from the neighborhood.”

— Lydia Clarke, Co-owner, DTLA Cheese Superette

What’s next

On April 26, Emilia D'Albero, a Philadelphia-based cheesemonger who won last year's Mondial du Fromage in Tours, France, is scheduled to visit Kippered to talk cheese.

The takeaway

The closure of DTLA Cheese Superette, a beloved downtown L.A. institution, is a sobering reminder of the challenges facing small, independent businesses in the city. While the owners remain committed to the local community through their wine bar Kippered, the loss of this cheese shop highlights the fragility of small businesses and the need for greater support to ensure the vibrancy and diversity of urban neighborhoods.